Leaving the dog outside

southernblues

southernblues

New member
So I've had Great Danes, Labs, cockers, etc all indoors. Built new house 2 yrs ago and our cocker who was indoors at old house stays in. Got my pup in the spring and never been indoors (except for 5-10 mins while I get water bowl filled up).

Last night temp got down to 18 with 5 degree wind chill. His runner has straw on north side and hay floor (stay dry as I change it out once week) and tons of hay around his house and inside it. Brought him into the garage into the travel carrier and he was fine. Got him out this AM and he was wanting to stay out and actually ran back to the runner. I put more hay in and around his house and he seems to stay warm. He has nice thick coat (Brittany) and is always warm to touch even today.

Question; when do you all bring your hunting pals indoors (for those whose dogs normally stay outside)?
 
Dogs In or Out?

southernblues said:
So I've had Great Danes, Labs, cockers, etc all indoors. Built new house 2 yrs ago and our cocker who was indoors at old house stays in. Got my pup in the spring and never been indoors (except for 5-10 mins while I get water bowl filled up).

Last night temp got down to 18 with 5 degree wind chill. His runner has straw on north side and hay floor (stay dry as I change it out once week) and tons of hay around his house and inside it. Brought him into the garage into the travel carrier and he was fine. Got him out this AM and he was wanting to stay out and actually ran back to the runner. I put more hay in and around his house and he seems to stay warm. He has nice thick coat (Brittany) and is always warm to touch even today.

Question; when do you all bring your hunting pals indoors (for those whose dogs normally stay outside)?
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My dogs live indoors year round. I love their company.
 
I enjoy the company of my lab inside. She loves being with the family and is part of the family. We hardly notice she's in the house. She's spoiled, but that's how it should be.
 
southernblues said:
Question; when do you all bring your hunting pals indoors (for those whose dogs normally stay outside)?
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southernblues
thanks for posting the question, I was thinking about this the other night when it was 5 degrees and 40 mph winds; the conclusion that I came to was, that if I'm not willing to spend the night out in the weather than why should I put the dogs through it - so my cut off is around 20 degrees and they are in the house, if the weather sets in for any amount of time they'll stay in the house until it breaks
 
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beaker said:
southernblues
thanks for posting the question, I was thinking about this the other night when it was 5 degrees and 40 mph winds; the conclusion that I came to was, that if I'm not willing to spend the night out in the weather than why should I put the dogs through it - so my cut off is around 20 degrees and their in the house, if the weather sets in for any amount of time they'll stay in the house until it breaks
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I bring him when sun goes down. I work from home but don't have him house trained (9 mo old would eat everything) but he could stay in garage where there's not so much to tear up. Just seems to want to stay outside where he's always been.

I figured most would keep dogs indoors --
 
20 is my cutoff as well. I have a couple of the x-large wire cages in my garage with carpet in them. I have a small baseboard heater in the garage and it keeps it around 40 degrees on a 20 or below day. The dogs still experience some cold and grow some winter coat but ears, paws, and noses don't freeze. I keep them out until I go to bed then let them out when I get up. After they do their thing, it's back in until the weather breaks over 20 or the sun is shining, then I run back to the house and out they go. Here is what they look like at 27 degrees in the sun...note there are three dogs in the picture and if you are wondering, yes; that is a 128# lab and he's warm.
DogsXMas001.jpg
 
Nice photo Jim, Unless I had a heated kennel building I will not have them outside. Ours are in all year. Skeets in the summer and cold winter. Next year we plan on building a nice heated building for them to go out in some. I learned the hard way a long time ago, I will never forgive my self ever I don't think. Had a nice building 10x20 Insulated walls 6" studs and sheated. They had spring doors to go in and out as they please, but I did not put a heater in there and I had a dog die. he froze, I think, He may have passed from something else Not sure. But I still think I let him down, and should have had heat in the building. It was my last coon hound. It took quite awhile to get over and get a different dog, And never realy did totaly get over it some 25 years later. When you brought this thread up it came back just like that. I am not sure how cold it gets in your area but I myself won't ever do that again. Now there is heat alarms a guy can have in the house too to let you know what the temp is in the shed and if it shuts off. I never drempt that would happen. My dad and many people had dogs outside back then, but it scares me too much now. Even a simple light bulb may have kept that dog alive if he did freeze. States farther south don't have an issue.
 
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My GSP is an inside and outside dog. I have a large privacy fenced yard so he runs during the day and then comes in at night. He has his bed on the floor on my side of the bed and my wife has a bed for her Doberman on her side of the bed. Wouldn't have it any other way...:cheers:
 
Thanks guys for the input. I've had a myriad of dogs over the yrs, grew up on farm and grandparents would have never thought about bringing in the dogs but I see all points here. Just wanting to bounce off suggestions for those I trust.


sb
 
Starts gettin under 30 or wind chill takes it down I bring my Setter in the garage, I have him a portable carrier in there with straw in it, I also make sure to spend time daily with him since outside dogs can be forgotten very easy! Gundogsupply online has hound heaters for dog houses that have a thermostat u can set, I will be getting one for my next kennel build!
 
After I had a very good Brittany stolen right out of her outside kennel. I decided the next one would be cage trained and in the house nights. The outside kennel would only be for daytime use. I do keep tabs on Tony now when he is outside. He wants to be in his kennel more than I think is safe. He will ask to go outside, instead of going potty, he goes in his kennel........Bob
 
Dogs attach themselves to what they consider their home. That's really why a person crate trains them. My dogs want to be in their crates even when the doors are open. That's their domain, their castle. Your dog most likely wants to be out where his home is, not because he/she likes being cold but because that's their home. If you crate train him/her inside, they will want to be in where that crate is just as bad as where you have him/her outside right now.

Dogs live a longer life and are able to stay in the field later in their years if raised in a warmer environment. The long winters take their toll. I have raised dogs for more then 25 years, even our Chessies don't stay outside and I don't make them stand in water or keep them in the icy water for long periods well hunting. Dogs can and do die from hypothermia and from the heat in the summer. Just think of it as, if your comfortable they are too. If your cold or over heated, so can they be.

onpoint
 
I agree Chuck, I dual trained Tony when it comes to kennels. He has his inside Kennel crate and his outside kennel with house and a laying board that is carpeted. I like the board because he don't have to lay on the concrete of the kennel.
I leave the door open on the inside kennel. When it is too hot/cold outside, he comes inside and he is free to lay where chooses. He will at times, go in his crate kennel for a nap. He is as some would say a spoiled dog, he has a lot of freedom in my home. He comes in my office and lays while I'm on this computer. He will be in the same room I am most often. He even comes in and helps me dress in the morning........Bob
 
My dogs stay outside year around. I have circle dens for dog houses and they all stay plenty warm and if I could fit in one I would surely stay outside in one.

This is interesting that you mention cold weather. But, a dog can take much more cold than they can heat.

Now, how warm does it have to be outside before you bring them into the A/C?
 
duckn66 said:
My dogs stay outside year around. I have circle dens for dog houses and they all stay plenty warm and if I could fit in one I would surely stay outside in one.

This is interesting that you mention cold weather. But, a dog can take much more cold than they can heat.

Now, how warm does it have to be outside before you bring them into the A/C?
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Not sure where you live but it gets 30 pluss below here, and wind chills of 80 below, several times 40 below. Not sure those houses would do wonders for that. We keep em in in the summer right now too. So many skeets they would have no blood left. So they get AC all summer.:D
 
My dogs live in my office in the basement year round. They have dog door and invisible fence so the come and go as they please. Heat in the winter and AC in the summer. I lock them up at night so the don't bark and disturb the neighbors.
 
FCSpringer said:
Not sure where you live but it gets 30 pluss below here, and wind chills of 80 below, several times 40 below. Not sure those houses would do wonders for that. We keep em in in the summer right now too. So many skeets they would have no blood left. So they get AC all summer.:D
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It doesn't get nearly that cold here in Kansas. But, if it did K-9 condo offers a heated pad for there houses which would be plenty warm.
 
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